The Big Four: Chaos Realm
by batfan94
Summary: Legends tell of the Convergence. Every 100,000 years the universes overlap, bringing chaos and ruin in it's wake. Now four heroes are pulled into a war that not only threatens this strange new world they inhabit, but ALL worlds. Can they shoulder the stakes of all reality hanging in the balance? Rated T for Fantasy violence, Language, Peril, and possible suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Jeez…what's it been? Three years? Bet most of you thought I was gone for good. I thought I was gone for good for a while. No drive to write, to tell those stories. But a small spark has always been there, and I'm going to stoke that flame as much as I can. Please like and review. These help me continue. This is going to be a story I want to build, so ideas to help flesh out this realm will be appreciated.  
So without further ado….let's pull the curtain back to world's that you may know….and what happens when the threads of Fate intertwine across universes.**

**Enjoy**

  
"You can't get rid of me! Not forever!" Pitch snarled, backing up to his feet away from the Guardians of Childhood. The Boogeyman struggled to keep his balance on the ice, drawing himself up to his full height to cover the embarrassing defeat at his enemies' hands, "There will ALWAYS be fear!"

North scoffed, waving off the weak threat as if he were swatting a fly, "So what? As long as one child believes, we will be here to FIGHT fear."  
The Guardians stood against their foe, each emboldened with the children's hopes, dreams, and the drive to protect them at any cost. Pitch's sickening yellow eyes scanned the clearing, the disgust on his narrow face morphing into a sly smirk. Gesturing around them, the spirits noticed the nightmare's forming out of the black sand, neighing and pawing at the soft snow covering the edge of the frozen lake, "Really? Then what are…they….doing here?"

Jack's grip tightened on the staff, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice, when he noticed something. The Nightmares….they weren't paying the Guardians any mind at all. Almost as if….they weren't even there? North looked around, almost amused, nudging the Spirit of Winter with his arm, "They cannot be my nightmares…I'm not afraid!"

The grin on Pitch's face began to drop, as one by one, the Nightmares turned their burning gaze on him. But then something else registered in his mind….the bright golden yellow of their eyes….were now tinged with a chaotic red. Their stance was more….primal now, each braying and drawing closer to him. Not to join him, but to TAKE him.

Sensing the turning of the tide, Jack gave the Boogeyman another disarming smirk, "Looks like it's _your_ fear they smell."

As if on command, the Nightmares leaped from the shore, twisting and melding into tendrils of inky black sand, wrapping around the so called King of Nightmares. The tornado of fear, hopelessness, and discord carried him up into the sky, away from the group and down into the dark confines under the bed from whence he came. Pitch yelled, pulling and tearing at them, the ground, the bed….anything he could. He knew what failure meant, and what awaited him in the depths below. The sand overtook him, and then, there was nothing.

No light, no sound, just the void. Pitch stared into the impenetrable wall of black, though even he could not discern left from right, up from down, or anything in between in this pit. One by one, pairs of crimson eyes peeled open, surrounding him on all sides. Growls, primal and guttural, rumbled from the darkness, with every passing second as they closed in on him.

Until a voice spoke from the depths.

"Enough." Called the voice, a silky smooth, feminine voice, tinged with a dangerous edge like a finely sharpened knife fresh from the wheel. The eyes turned slightly, but halted their advance, leaving Pitch Black trapped in the center. Slowly, the circle parted, leaving a new pair of eyes to emerge. These were a sickening yellow like his own, but circling the irises was the bloodiest red one could imagine  
"You disappoint me Pitch. The Convergence draws ever closer, and yet here I stand. Without the army _you_ promised me. I gave you the easiest task imaginable. Cultivate a legion of Fearlings, Nightmares, Dream Pirates….from children of all people."

From the dark emerged a woman, dressed in a purple silk gown, with ash like skin exposed on her body. The tips of her hair and dress curled into smoke, giving her an ethereal and oddly detached feel to the world around her, as if the laws of nature no longer applied to her. The expression on her face was one of disappointment, and rage, but held in check, for now at least. "Yet here you stand, like a dog with it's tail between its legs. Without an army, and without any dignity it seems."

Pitch cowered back from her, knowing his current position, "Eris….look. The Guardians, they found a way past the dream sand-"

Eris' golden eyes flashed, and her smoky form gave way to a titanic size, looming over him, "You were defeated by a CHILD. Armed with snowballs and laughter! You only demonstrated how weak and pathetic you are when faced with adversity, choosing to showboat and prance around. And NOW look where we are!"

She lifted her gargantuan fist, as if to smash Pitch to nothing but dust, when she froze. Closing her eyes she took a breath to compose herself, dematerializing back into her normal form, standing face to face with the King of Nightmares. Leaning forward, she traced a finger along his chest, "Perhaps….all is not lost. After all, even in defeat we gauged our enemies power. All we have to do, is adjust our target."

With a wave of her hand, the black void evaporated into the bright constellations of her home, with the Earth lying in the center of it all. Yet things looked different from before. Eris' pets, monsters that formed the constellations, circled above and around the cracks in the fabric of space.  
Gesturing to the anomalies, she continued, "When last we spoke, I used the vestiges of the previous Convergence to bring you here. I gave you the plan, I gave you the duty to give me an army. Now here we stand, on the brink of a cycle one hundred thousand years in the making."  
Looking to Pitch, she waved her hand to the globe, "You will find this world…..much easier to form our legion. Make as many Nightmares as you can muster. Without Guardians, this will be the stage for the Great War to come."  
With a press of her finger, the globe darkened, blanketed in inky black sand, save for twelve pinpricks of light dotted around the mainland. Eris' smoky fist clenched in annoyance, "When the Convergence reaches its peak, we will unleash our armies. My monsters, your fearlings, will march on Syracuse. We destroy the Book of Peace, and this world's final protection will fall. The chaos we will reap will be enough for us to spread like a poison, across every realm, every world.

Grabbing Pitch's face, she yanked his gaze from the globe to her own, "You have one year Pitch. You can manage to raise an army by then?"

The King of Nightmares nodded his consent, silent in the face of the Goddess. With a smile, she flicked his head to the side, "Good boy. Now, run along and make yourself at home in Tartarus…..I have a universe to shape."

She looked to the heavens, as the cracks grew larger, exposing other Earths to her gaze. Only four for now, but more would dot the cosmos before long, "Ohhhh this is going to be fun."

_This is Berk. A bit trampled and busted and covered in ice, but it's Home. It's OUR home. Those who attacked us are relentless and crazy. But those who stop them? Oh even more so. We may be small in numbers, but we stand for something, bigger than anything the world can pit against us. We are the voice of peace…and bit by bit, we will change this world. You see we have something they don't. Oh sure, they have armies, and they have armadas. But we….we have….OUR DRAGONS!_

  
Hiccup Haddock the Third, new Chief of Berk. Even now the title seemed strange on his lips. The past few weeks flew by in a blur. Drago's siege on the nest, the death of the Bewilderbeast, the death of his father…..  
Ah…the familiar sting in the back of his eyes whenever Stoick came into his thoughts. Even now the empty chair where his father once sat loomed like a bad omen. His eyes got lost, staring as if he could see the phantom of his own father looking back at him. It was likely that he would have gazed at that spot for hours, until his leg was nudged by a large black shape. Startled out of his thoughts, the Viking rubbed at his eyes, looking down into the green orbs of the Night Fury he owed his life to. Toothless nudged his leg once again,, a low rumble bubbling up from his throat.  
It was apparent from the moment they met that the Night Fury was far more intelligent than any animal. The pair of them seemed to connect on a level far deeper than any friendship could be. Kindred spirits? Possibly. Resting a tired hand on Toothless' snout, the Chief let out a sigh, "Yeah bud…..this all seems weird to me to…but we owe it to him…and to everyone else to keep them safe."  
Standing up, he adjusted his prosthetic leg, calling his dragon over to the door, "C'mon bud….let's clear our heads for a bit with a little flying ok?"  
The Night Fury practically scampered over to the door, ready for anything to help cheer Hiccup's spirits. With a dry chuckle, the pair made their way out of the quiet village, with the sun long having set on what remained of their home. Latching in his artificial foot, he kicked off, with Toothless launching the pair off the cliff face. The wind whipped at his face, the chilly air nipping away at the exposed skin not covered by his armor. The Night Fury loved this. The adrenaline, the rush, the exhilaration of flight, with the one human he trusted more than anyone in the world.

That feeling was not to last.

The dragon's head snapped up, wings unfurling to slow their fall into a gentle glide in sudden fashion, almost dislodging Hiccup from the saddle, "Whoa bud! Something spook ya? What's wrong?"  
His bare hand rubbed away at the scaly neck of his friend, looking up at the relatively peaceful horizon, as dark as it was. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see what had Toothless so alarmed, even as the reptile moved his head to and fro, pupils reduced to slits. Tugging on the harness, he moved the pair into a slow turn, toward what he thought was away from the danger, "Ok Toothless, let's head back and get the others….if there's something out there, we better- AH!"

He was cut off with a bright flash of light, zig zagging across the sky like arcs of lightning from Thor himself, opening up around them. The light brightened, nearly burning itself into the retinas of the duo. A throaty yelp and a scream later, and the light left the skies short one Dragon and its Rider.

_Some say our destiny's tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say Fate is woven together like a cloth, so that once destiny intertwines with many others…. it's the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some…. who are led._

"Don't WORRY mum. Angus and I will be back well before sunset." The Scottish redhead drawled in exasperation, leading Angus by the reigns toward the castle gate, "Just give me one afternoon to clear my 'ead a bit. Relax…I'll be back before you know it."

Smiling up at Elinor, she tugged herself up onto her steed, her trusty bow slung over her shoulder. The quiver of arrows rattling along, as if quivering with the anticipation of being used for the coming target practice. The Princess of DunBroch gave everything a once over: Bow, arrows, food, water, sword….yeah…..this seems to be about everything. Digging her heels into the horse's side, the pair tore off across the Scottish landscape, messy hair torn this way and that with the heavy footfalls of Angus echoing across the valley.

There were few things Merida DunBroch enjoyed more than the freedom to ride, to use her bow, to truly be herself. After the misfortune that befell her family thanks to her own selfish actions, and the actions of Mordu, the Clans were living in a time of tentative peace, one that the Princess hoped to last. Yes there was still the matter of marrying, but that day was far into her future as far as she was concerned. Now all she had to focus on was-

"AHHH!" Merida cried, wrapping her arms around the thick mane of Angus when the horse suddenly reared on its hind legs, nearly dislodging her from the saddle! What's gotten into him? Angus hasn't been this startled for as long as she could remember. The redhead turned, leaning over the animal to see just what had startled the animal, and the dull blue glow of not just one, but FOUR wisps illuminated the forest clearing. Strange….she had never seen more than one grouped together so close before.

"What in the world….." she muttered, reaching a hand out to them, but almost as quickly as they had appeared, a crack split the forest in two, swallowing the Princess and her steed in the blink of an eye. The summer wind rustled, and one by one, the wisps faded into nothing.

_Flower gleam and glow…let your power shine…..make the clock reverse….bring back what once was mine….Heal what has been hurt…change the fate's design…. save what has been lost….. bring back what once was mine….what once was mine….._

To say the last month of Rapunzel's life was a whirlwind was the understatement of the century. Her entire WORLD had been opened wide enough for her to finally see…EVERYTHING. As much as losing the power of her magical golden hair gutted her, she gained much, much more. She saved Eugene's life, she found her real family, and she had the world at her fingertips. So much to see, so much to learn. The sheer volume of things to do would have left any sane person reeling. Not her though. She embraced the challenge, hence where she found herself today.

"Almost…..got it….." she groaned, tongue sticking out of the corner of her lips. She was trying to reach up onto the shelf of the palace library to retrieve a dusty old tome from the top shelf. A small voice in the back of her head, along with Pascal perched up on the wooden perch beside her, noted this might not be the smartest course of action, using more books as a stepping stone to get herself up to the top.

Her dainty fingertips brushed against the worn leather spine, the dust clinging to her skin, but the book would not budge. Her brown bangs fell over her eyes with an irritated huff, reaching even further, with her bare feet clinging to the edge of her makeshift book tower. Everything was going well, with the book almost in her grasp, when a rumble shook the room to it's core, dislodging the Lost Princess from her mountain of knowledge and leaving her hanging onto the top shelf. Pascal squeaked in alarm, scrambling up the shelves and gripping onto her hand to keep her from falling, despite the lack of strength between the two. Chirping in concern, the chameleon scuttled down the way, latching his tongue at the hem of her dress, clamping his jaw down to pull as hard as he could!

Her bare feet kicked forward, the tips of her toes catching the lower shelf. Gritting her teeth, she finally managed to secure herself on her ledge, and in prime position to snatch the book off it's perch!

"Ah ha!" she beamed, clutching it in one hand and holding it against her chest, "Gotcha…."

"Rapunzel?" called a voice she knew all too well. Her companion and friend through her whole ordeal over the past few months, Flynn Rider, or as she knew him as, Eugene. Pinning the book between her body and the shelf, she called out over her shoulder, "I'm here Eugene…..just….nngh….getting a book!"

"Well be careful! The whole castle just shook and I'd rather not have you breaking a leg, especially given our lack of flower power at the moment- WHOAH!" Eugene fumbled into the room when another rumble knocked Rapunzel off her safe foothold! The Princess cried out, reaching up for safety, with Pascal getting yanked alongside her!

"Rapunzel!" Eugene called, diving forward with arms held out to catch…..nothing. There was no impact. No thud. Nothing. A flash of light was all the former thief was able to make out, before falling flat on his face. When he came too, Rapunzel, Pascal, and her book were gone without a trace!

_My name….is Jack Frost, and I'm a Guardian. How do I know that? Cause the Moon told me so. And when the Moon tells you something…..believe it._

Saying goodbye to the children of Burgess was bittersweet for Jack, given how soon it was after the children finally believed in him. But it wasn't like he was going to be gone forever. He still had a few things to clear up with the Guardians now that his membership had become official. Repairs to the Tooth Palace, the Warren, along with rounding up the last of the Nightmares. Settling into North's sleigh, the assembled Guardians took off from the lake, with all eight reindeer pulling their precious cargo into the baby blue morning sky. Everything was going perfect. Pitch was gone, hopefully for good, and the Children were safe to dream again.

Oh how naïve he was.

The moment North pulled out the snow globe that would have transported the group back to the Pole, a crack tore across the sky, along with a violent gust of wind that ripped the Guardian of Fun right from his seat in the sleigh!

"Jack!" Tooth called, flying off to grasp his hand. The wind flared up once more, out of Jack's control when it tugged his staff free from his hand. Without his source of power Jack was helpless to stop his descent, as a bright light enveloped his vision, forcing his blue eyes shut. 


	2. Chapter 2

One constant plagued all four strangers. The swirl of colors, bearing far more splendor than even the night sky could bless upon the mortal world. Jack struggled to breath, hands clawing at the nova, while his staff seemed to twist and warp before his eyes. Its shape and make bent and warped, as did his very soul.

A second explosion of colors lit the abyss, streaking and turning the specks of light into rainbow streaks, reflected in the deep blue pools of his eyes. But something else broke through the colors before him. Symbols….some familiar….others foreign. The first came easy enough, the blue streams fractured and coalesced into the sharp angles of a snowflake, similar to ones Jack himself would cast on endless occasions. Even as his shaking hand finally gripped the wooden shaft of his weapon, wisps of green, gold, and scarlet began to take solid form.

The first glowed bright, strands of gold weaving in and out, each tangled strand growing as bright as the morning sunrise. This proved appropriate, as the final form would resemble the glowing star of Earth's Sun. It's shining rays blinded the spirit, forcing him to shield his eyes for but a moment.

Bolts of green swooped low overhead, sending the tumbling form of the Guardian into a frantic spiral. The swirling colorful lights were accompanied by a shrill wail, as if accompanied by the falling of bombs. A sound he had not heard the likes of since the blizzard of 44. Russia's winters were always wild and unnatural, almost like a beast of mythical proportion, like the final form of this new sigil. The image circled itself in the form of a graceful dragon, leaving only the tendrils of scarlet fire.

This new symbol carried the white hot burn of an iron brand, freshly picked from the flames of the forge. This strange image was foreign to him, but carried itself with a strength unlike the others. It marched like a banner to war, accompanied by the distant clang of swords, and the roar of the bear.

What these sights and sounds meant, neither he nor the other three strangers know as their descent seemed to quicken in pace, fading into the lush green and blue of sky and earth. The rush of wind made Jack's eyes snap open, reaching out to the horizon, desperate to call on the wind, his old friend and trusted companion. The call was answered, but the rush of air did not obey him with totality. The fall slowed considerably, but did not cease as it should have. The spirit shielded his face, even as the trees grew closer. There were cracks that snapped through the air like lightning beneath the clouds, and all was silent.

The first thing that Jack realized when his eyes fluttered open, was the change in the air. It felt…cleaner. Not covered in smog and the smell of the modern world. His body was wracked with pain, rolling onto his side, he discovered his staff….but….it wasn't like he remembered. His old staff bore the twisted wood of a fallen oak branch. This new one held a familiarity to it, yet it's shepherd's hook bore something new. A silver blade, shining with the deep silver of the moon that brought him into existence. He turned this new thing over in his pale hands, running a finger over the cold metal. How….or why…he knew not how this came to be. It was simply one of many questions he had, not the least of which was the sigil glowing a dull blue on the back of his hand. The snowflake faded in intensity, staining his skin with a blue tattoo.

A sharp crack of branches in the distant undergrowth snapped him out of his daze, pointing his staff at the shaded sanctuary beneath the lush leaves of green. Wherever he was, it was likely that no human could see him, given only a handful of children now knew of his existence. Yet these woods, this air….this did not feel like the land he once called home.

A shape of black cut through the streaks of sunlight, drawing Jack's attention to the left, before a massive shape slammed into his body, bringing him crashing down to the earth, lungs devoid of air! His staff clattered beside him, just out of reach when the sizeable foot of a large black creature came down hard on his chest, effectively pinning him to the ground. There was nowhere for him to go, and nowhere to hide. This thing made escape all but impossible. He clutched at the foot slowly pressing his ribcage down, when the thing turned it's gaze upon him. Those green orbs reflected every emotion on his face: wonder, to awe, to fear….so potent that any animal could sense it. Nostril's flared, it's scaly black snout bore closer to the spirit. A gentle sniff, ruffling the white bangs of his hair, accompanied by the low rumble from within the animal's core.

"Toothless?! Toothless! C'mon where are you?" called a voice. Young and firm, it did not yet bear the edge of a man, but it did command the attention of the creature. At the summon, this "Toothless" turned it's head sharply to the left, claws digging a bit deeper into the ground, and the fabric of Jack's blue hoodie. The pain meant nothing to him now, with the reveal of black, leathery wings. The sheer sight made the gasp he was going to utter lodge itself in his throat. Jamie had always believed in strange beasts, but never had he expected to meet such a thing outside of Sandy's dream-sand induced slumber.

The rustle of leaves accompanied the hurried footfalls of the stranger, yet it alternated between the thud of a boot and the creak of metal. Who was this person who could command a dragon?

Hiccup managed to get dislodged from Toothless during the freak flash. Where once there was the chill air of Berk, now dwelled the warm air of summer, more common to the lands south of their home, full of lush forests and good winds that bore his dragon to a gentle glide to the ground below. The favorable updraft helped the Viking as well, carrying him on his own home made gliding wings. The pair landed in a much more dignified fashion than was expected. A quick tumble down the hill, and the Viking was back on his feet, none the worse for wear. His dragon, on the other hand, was gone from his sight, having caught a strange scent in the morning air. A low growl bubbled from his throat, and the Night Fury had bounded into the undergrowth, gone from the sight of his Rider.

"Toothless!? Toothless! C'mon where are you?" he called, while adjusting the strap on his right arm. The slight movement would reveal the pale green staining his skin, the tail of his own symbol that appeared before the very cosmos. Those other sigils meant something….they had to. Even once he landed, he managed to sketch those images onto the slips of parchment hidden amongst his leather armor, even though they burned into the very core of his mind. Seeing the stars fly by so close was not an experience so easily forgotten.

Branches and leaves were swept aside with every wave of his hand, ducking and weaving around a landscape so lush and teaming with life. Birds and fauna fled at his disturbance, before he finally found his companion, pinning a young man who looked no older than he! He looked unarmed, with a staff long cast aside, no doubt by the sudden appearance of a dragon. Judging from his face, it looked as if he had never seen such a creature in his lifetime.

Hiccup rushed to the dragon, keeping a hand on the hilt of his sword, while giving a firm tug on the harness, "Toothless stop! He isn't here to hurt us! Let him up so we can figure out what's going on here!"

The Night Fury gave an incredulous look at his friend, as if to say, '_Are you crazy?'_ before reluctantly letting the young man free. He bore the most peculiar appearance to any man Hiccup had ever seen. From his white hair, as if stained from the breath of a Bewilderbeast itself, to his clothing, the likes of which he could not make head nor tale of. His movements were frantic, even as the pair moved back to give him space. He did attempt to reach for his staff, when Toothless growled low, teeth bared in a warning of things to come should he pursue this course of action. The stranger froze, before slowly looking from the Dragon, to Hiccup himself. With slow deliberate movement, he placed a hand on his chest, "You….you can see me?"

Ok now this was just getting confusing. Hiccup tilted his head to the side, an eyebrow raised, "Uh….of course I can….any reason I shouldn't be able to…um…see you?"

That's when his gaze fell upon the pale hand, and the snowflake that adorned the skin. Raising a hand, he took cautious steps forward, "Wait…that…..that image. I saw it just before we landed here. Wherever 'here' is exactly."

This caught the stranger's attention, turning to Hiccup and looking at the symbol, "How many did you see?"

"Four by my count. And when I landed here, I found this.." he replied, unfastening the bracer on his arm to show the pale green of the dragon tattoo reflecting off the rays of sunlight. A sudden hush fell over the clearing, and even the Night Fury had a far more vested interest in this stranger than before. It's gaze was more curious than anything else now, the pupils enlarging in the green oceans of it's eyes.

The stranger looked upon the tattoo, and his stance seemed to relax slightly, just the subtle sag of his shoulders, but it was enough to convince the Viking that maybe, just maybe, he might have diffused the situation. Reaching forward with an outstretched hand, he offered it to him, "I never got your name?"

Those blue eyes looked from the hand to the green of the dragon rider, before grasping it in his own strong grip, "Jack…..Jack Frost. You?"

Hiccup felt the icy tingle of cold flesh, all too familiar from endless winters in Berk. But this place felt like late springtime! How could he be so…cold? One step at a time, he thought. No need to rush this. Clearing his throat, he smiled, even as the tingle in his hand did not abate.

"Uh…Hiccup. I'd go through the full name but I-" he stopped when Jack had doubled over in laughter at the name, nearly spitting all over him in his merry fit, "And….that surprised absolutely no one. No wonder I never get through the full name"

It took some time for Jack to come down from his hysterics, wiping a few tears from his eye, "Who…..haha….who names their kid….pfffft….._HICCUP?!_"

The Chief had his arms crossed, looking at the Night Fury beside him, who despite himself let out a low warble, but quickly stopped himself when met with a raised eyebrow. The dragon cast its glance aside, but even Hiccup couldn't stay mad at him, stroking the scaly snout. He was about to reply when a sharp whistle tore through the air, missing Toothless by mere inches, embedding itself into the yew wood of the tree behind them! The Viking shoved the Dragon away, with him drawing the hilt of his weapon. With the flick of a switch, the retractable metal 'blade' extended from the handle, igniting in crimson fire. While the weapon itself may look fearsome, Hiccup made it his mission not to inflict harm upon others, often looking for non-violent ways to pacify threats.

Toothless fled into the safety of the trees, using the undergrowth to shield him from view. Nevertheless, he refused to leave Hiccup behind. He failed Hiccup once already….when Drago took control of his mind and made him….

He snarled and pushed the thought aside, snaking into the recesses of a large oak, providing him with a perfect view of the clearing, when something small and green landed on the very tip of his nose! The sudden appearance shocked the Dragon, flaring his nostrils. The rush of air made the green shape flop on the branch before him, small enough that even the dragon had to lean in close. It was a little chameleon, bright green and small enough to fit inside Hiccup's hand…when they first met!

The creature froze, slowly turning it's head to look up at the titanic figure of the Night Fury, before he let out a shrill squeak, falling on his side in shock! The Night Fury blinked in surprise, tilting his head to the side. What a strange little thing…..

Hiccup stood back to back with Jack, who had his staff aimed into the woods, even though to his mind, the scythe like blade would do little good here, "Hope that thing can do more than cut wheat…."

Jack, oddly enough, shot a smirk back at him, twirling the weapon in his hand with practiced ease, "Believe me Hic…I can do way more than you could even-"

The sentence ended abruptly when strands of gold lashed out from the trees, tying his arms together and breaking his grip on the staff,

"What the- GAH!" Jack yelped, with the strands yanking him bodily from the clearing and into the wood, where a sharp clang of metal on flesh rang out, making Hiccup wince inwardly. Well…guess it was up to him to get the two of them outta this-

_CLANG!_

One minute his fiery blade was held firmly in his hand. The next, a sharp tug tore the weapon away, sending it spinning away to fall away from the chief, arrow embedded into the grassy ground beneath his feet.

"One more step out a you, and I'll find a much more painful spot for me next arrow." Called out a voice from the dark, thick with an accent not unlike that of his own people. Though this voice wasn't of Berk….at least….not one he recognized. Slowly, he raised his hands up above his head, and two figures made their way out into the light.

"Merida…..don't you think that's a bit much?" replied another woman, much more soft spoken than her companion. She was thin and fair, sharing bright green eyes with his own, but his gaze fell instead upon her hair. Her hair that happened to drag behind her by quite a large margin. It had to have gone on by a dozen feet, maybe more! In all his life and all his travels, he had never seen quite a sight like that, nor did he expect to see her tug along Jack at the end of her hair, tightly bound and out cold, no doubt sporting a nasty bump on his head for his troubles.

"Says the wee lass who wrapped up a man with her hair! And conked him right on the noggin with a iron pan!" came the exasperated answer, "I told ya I'd help ya find your wee lizard-"

"Chameleon."

"ANYWAYS!" said the new figure, sporting wild curly locks of fiery red, bow cocked and an arrow aimed right at Hiccup, "I think it's about time we be having some answers around here. Like why we suddenly ended up in the middle of gods knows where, with weird haired men and scaly black….things!"

"Toothless?" Hiccup asked, looking dumbfounded. Far as he could tell, only Astrid ever truly seemed able to surprise him. Perhaps the gods were taking turns laughing at his collective misfortune, and were now throwing anything at him to get a reaction.

The name caught the archer off guard for a moment, "Toothless? Ye often name wild beasts when ye first lay eyes on em? Yer lucky I managed to scare it off when I did!"

Now that made Hiccup laugh, having to cover his own mouth to suppress his chuckles, much to the annoyance of his current captor. Tugging on the bowstring, she drew the arrow back, "And what seems to have you all in high spirits all of a sudden?"

"AH…just the fact you think one arrow can scare off a trained Night Fury." He replied, crossing his arms with a small measure of pride, one that seemed to confuse the women among them.

"A…Night….Fury?" Merida drawled out, the name sounding foreign on her lips, "Yer making that up. Never heard of such a thing."

That snapped Hiccup out of his prideful smile, "You haven't ever seen a dragon before?"

The two women shook their heads. Ever so slowly, the redhead, Merida, lowered her weapon, yet the arrow remained nocked, "I 'aven't. What about you Rapunzel?"

The blonde with the hair train shook her head, "Dragons don't exist where I come from. I've read stories about dragons before, but those were all…..stories…just ones to tell children before bedtime."

Hiccup turned to the trees behind him and gave a sharp whistle, before he looked back to the women, "Just….please put the bow down. Stuff like that tends to make him a bit….anxious."

There was a rapid trot of paws to the forest floor, gentle scrapes of claws on bark, before the black shape of Toothless the Night Fury leaped from the perch, landing with the grace of a lion on all fours beside his friend. The impact shook the ground nonetheless, causing Merida's grip on her bow to tighten hard enough to turn her knuckles white. Not since Mor'du had she seen a beast look at her with so piercing a gaze. Hiccup stroked the dragon's neck, before spotting a strange reptile dangling from Toothless' ear. Reaching over, he gave the tail a gentle tug, pulling the growling animal free with an eyebrow raised, "Already making friends buddy?"

The Night Fury gave as much of an eye roll as he could, but a gasp from Rapunzel drew the pair's attention, "Pascal!"  
She rushed forward, dragging her hair (and by extension, the body of Jack Frost) over to spirit the chameleon out of the hands of the Chief, "Awww poor thing was scared to death! Don't worry Pascal, I'm here."

Hiccup spotted it the moment her hand clasped around the animal, who was busy chirping happily in the grip of it's mistress. A golden tattoo, in the shape of a sun. Looking from one woman to the other, his gaze grew serious, "You saw the stars too, didn't you?"

The question snared both of their attention in a split second, nodding in unison, "And the symbols. I have the golden sun…."

Merida jabbed a thumb to her chest, showing the back of her hand to reveal the fiery brand, "An' I got me clan's sigil on me own hand. That only leaves-"

"The dragon," Hiccup completed, pointing at his own symbol, before nodding down at Jack, "And the snowflake."

A hushed silence fell over the group, with each looking to one another, hoping for answers they themselves could not give.

"Four symbols, and four of us." Rapunzel began softly, "In a strange world. This doesn't feel like where I came from. When I last remembered, I didn't have my hair! Now it's back?"  
"Jack was going on about being able to see him or something along those lines," Hiccup offered, "Whatever that's supposed to mean."

Merida, ever the direct one, gave a gentle kick to the spirit's side, "Well then! Let's wake 'im up, and start getting answers! First things first: Where. Are. We?"

A soft rustle made the three look down, with Jack finally coming around, struggling in his bonds, "Uh….Hic? Mind telling me why I'm tied up in blonde hair right now?"

**A/N: My my….I'm a little star struck! The Big Four, all in one place! ;) I'm glad to be able to write this, as much as I hope you are enjoying reading it. I'm setting a minimum word count of 3k per chapter, which I will do my best to stick to. Considering I'm dealing with four troublemakers and wee devils, I trust my work is already cut out for me**.****

**Speaking of which. Merida. Accent or no? It's fun to write but I'd rather you understand her than try to piece together my lame attempts at mimicking my ancestor's dialect (No doubt another reason I'm getting a thrashing on the other side haha)**

**Anyways. Leave reviews and spread the word. Gather the community as we take the plunge into a brave new world where they find out just what EXACTLY changed their fates and bound them together!**


	3. Chapter 3

Jack Frost considered himself a fairly open individual. There wasn't much he didn't believe in now, after nearly three hundred years on earth spreading winter and fun to the children in his isolation from their senses. He saw nightmares, Guardians, wonders that no mortal had ever even dreamed of in a single lifetime. And yet, he was sitting in a strange new land, tied up in strands of golden hair, sporting a nice bump on his head to boot! Now there were two more of these strangers, young women who seemed to have he and Hiccup on the ropes, with the redhead clutching a loaded bow. As tense as the situation was, Hiccup seemed to help diffuse the situation, with the return of some little chameleon. It took time to untangle him from the woman's hair, a thought even an immortal spirit never thought would even be a fully formed idea in his head. Nevertheless, he finally managed to wiggle out of his bonds, brushing the dirt off of his sleeves while his foot casually kicked up his staff into his waiting hand. The moment his fingers curled around the willow wood, the bark became interlaced with the intricate frost like patterns he would leave on the windows of homes. Even after his staff was reformed when Pitch destroyed it, he felt almost naked without the conduit to channel his magic through.

The four young men and women looked to one another, each face a swirl of emotions, ranging from weary, curious, to exasperated. Twirling his staff, Jack took a seat on a nearby tree root, glancing at them in turn, almost like he was _studying _them.

"So, first thing's first," he began, cracking his neck, "We need to find the portal that brought us here."

Hiccup scoffed at the idea. He was a rational thinker. Yes he lived in a world of dragons, but he believed in things like science and engineering. Portals and magic didn't really exist…..right? The young spirit turned his gaze on him, "Laugh all you want _Hiccup_ but I seem to know a bit more on the subject."

Merida cut him off right there, "An how ye expecting we even believe ye? How do ye know so much about portals and the like?"

Jack waved her off, "I got chucked into a sack by two yetis and tossed through one to the North pole. But this felt a little different. The pull was sharper, more rough than the smooth ride North has."

Rapunzel, strangely enough, was hanging on every word he was saying, mentally jotting down every small detail, both of his story, and him. He looked different from any other human being she saw in Corona. His skin was pale, far too much so for any healthy person, and yet he seemed in perfect spirits. Like herself, he didn't sport any form of coverings for his feet. No boots, no shoes. Nothing but the soft skin of his exposed feet. This was getting crazier and crazier by the second, and this was coming from the woman with the magic hair! Still, the small comment yanked her out of her stare, "Yetis?"

The question tore Jack's attention back to her, and the young man couldn't help but chuckle. He lifted his spindly arms up and imitated Phil's grumpy expression, thumping both bare feet against the ground like a lumbering giant, "Imagine…. big furry bears that walk on two feet, and grunt all the time. Not the gentlest of people I assure you."

Rapunzel couldn't help but let out a giggle at his antics, trying to stem the laughter by covering her mouth. Even in such a dire situation, it seemed there was at least someone who could lighten the mood. Merida drew herself up, jerking a thumb back into the wood from where they emerged, "Blondie and I fell outta a crack in the air. I tried to see if ah could go BACK the way we came, but it just tossed me back out!"  
That managed to get Hiccups attention, with the Viking jerking his head up to stare at the archer, "Where is it now?"

It took little time for the group to march their way back through the undergrowth, Merida and Rapunzel leading the little merry band. Well, leading was one way to describe it. Merida seemed certain on where she was going, while Rapunzel was still trying to deal with her train of hair. No matter how many times she stopped and scooped up her locks, they always seemed to just slip through her fingers. After almost half a dozen times, where she had almost reached her wits end, a pale hand scooped up some of the strands, with Jack's friendly smile beaming down at her, "Need a hand? You…ah….seem to have a lot here to carry."

Brushing a strand behind her ear, the lost princess of Corona nodded up to him, finally managing to take a breath, "Thank you….it's been some time since I had my hair to deal with. A few months off tends to break old habits, especially in my case."  
With the two working together, Jack was now handling a bundle of her golden hair, keeping pace with Rapunzel while his staff was slung over his back, "So dealing with abnormally long hair is just no never mind for you?"  
She turned to him, green eyes ablaze with the most curious expression he had ever seen. These were eyes of the kind North spoke so passionately about in his workshop. That felt so long ago to him, even when in reality it had only been a few days. Eyes full of wonder, ones that have seen the beauty and majesty of the world, never failing to see light even in the darkest of shadows.  
"It's a long story," She began, a little hesitant at first. Even after the whole ordeal with Mother Gothel, Eugene, and finding her real family, she still a tad apprehensive around others, and given the situation, one could hardly blame her. She nearly knocked Merida out cold the moment they ran into one another for goodness sake! Still, Jack seemed nice enough to assist her with her burden, so filling him in shouldn't hurt, "Short version then. I had magic hair when I was born. It glows and heals people when I sing-"

"When you sing? What do you mean 'had'?" he interjected, an incredulous look on his face. He had seen his fair share of magical oddities in his time. As normal as it felt to talk to the Guardians, even now he still had to come to grips with the fact he talked with Yetis, sentient bunnies, and a frankly bizarre human/hummingbird hybrid when it came to Tooth.

Rapunzel cast her gaze to the side, taking in her companion from head to toe as he went on with his questions. He was dressed in truly strange garments, the likes of which she had never seen before. At least with their other companions she recognized the designs from books she had seen and visitors from foreign kingdoms. Even so, she was certain none of them wore the clothes Jack was clad in. He looked almost….too pale. As morbid as the thought was, it was like the young man was a corpse, there was so little color in his cheeks and hands, and even his bare feet! Not that it bothered her that she was one of the only people to like being barefoot outside, but seeing someone else doing the same felt oddly comforting.

"Well, my powers came from a magical flower. When my mother was pregnant, she fell ill. The medicine derived from the flower was the only thing that could save her. Though it had some other side effects…"

"Magic Hair?"

"Magic Hair." She nodded, "I can use it to…wrap stuff up, heal wounds. Things like that. Only problem is before I-we I mean, ended up here, my hair was cut. It didn't have any magic in it! Now here we are: Me, Pascal, three strangers-"

"Along with 70 feet of blonde hair." Jack finished, hopping over a branch without skipping a beat. The young woman let out a small smile, nodding back at him. Despite the situation, he found this small bit of conversation oddly comforting. Losing the Guardians, Jamie, having his entire world turned upside down. It just felt like nothing was going right for Jack Frost. Maybe finding kindred spirits in these three may be a sign of good fortunes to come? Of that he did not know. He just made snow days and fought nightmares. He was no fortune teller.

"What do ye _mean_ there's a whole island of dragon riders?" Merida huffed, brushing branches aside with an arm, nearly whacking poor Hiccup in the face when she released them. The chief ducked just in the nick of time, stumbling on his good leg before managing to regain his balance. Toothless followed behind, wisely keeping his green eyes focused on the quiver of arrows strapped to her back. To the Night Fury, these three were setting off all sorts of alarm bells. He couldn't put his nose on it, but they all felt unnatural. He first noticed it when he was close to toasting the young man. The dragon let out a low warble, turning his head back just enough to spy the two humans with the strange hair. They seemed innocent enough, and Hiccup trusted them to an extent…..he guessed it made sense to give them a chance until he and his rider were safely back in Berk.

"Like I told you, Dragons exist in my world. Different types and species all around. I even charted the islands around my home and all the nests dotted around the place. They are really gentle animals once you get to know them!" He insisted, practically waving his arms in his attempt to convince her.

Merida paused, turning back to him with an eyebrow raised, "How many times did you get set on fire to come up with that conclusion? Where I come from, we don't try to make friends with scary beasts, especially in my family." Even as she said it, her mind wandered back months back to her home, when she stupidly turned her own mother into a bear for gods' sake! They were all lucky to escape from that mess in one piece. True it did help strengthen the bond with her family, but the image of Mor'du roaring in her face left her waking up in a cold sweat for months. The low growl from behind her was proof enough that the dragon didn't take too kindly to her words.

Hiccup reached to his side and gently rubbed at his friend's snout, gently shushing him. An angry Night Fury wasn't going to do any of them any favors, especially not when the situation at hand demanded that they all keep a level head. He just had to accept that for the time being, the angry redhead just did not like dragons…the same angry redhead currently armed to the teeth with arrows and a sword- ok this might be a problem.

After what seemed like ages, the group finally managed to make it to the clearing, where Angus was tied to a neighboring tree branch. Not far from the Clydesdale, there was a shimmering crack seemingly hovering in midair, as if it had ripped the very fabric of this world apart. The moment Merida came into view, Angus let out a frightened neigh, tugging at his restraints and forcing his rider to hurry to him, shushing the poor thing and stroking his head, "No no Angus, it's ok…..I'm here shhhhhhhh."  
Her three companions followed shortly after, with Hiccup making sure Toothless remained out of sight of the horse, "You left your horse tied up here?"

Rolling her eyes, she turned to the group with her hands on her hips. "It felt like the right decision at the time. I didn't wan to put Angus in danger. This was the only thing ah could think of."

Holding his hands up in a placating gesture, the Viking instead turned to the crack, being careful not to get too close to the shimmering energy radiating from it, "Never seen anything like this before. You tried going back and it just…threw you back?"

Merida nodded, jerking a thumb back to the blonde behind her, "Ye, and that's how ah fell into Rapunzel over here. Threw me off and I fell into her, and landed on this thing."

Reaching into the saddle bag, she pulled out a worn, leather bound book, waving over the chattering pair lagging behind, "Speaking of which, ey Rapunzel! Ye dropped this!"

Spotting the old tome, the young Princes scurried over to the archer, dragging Jack behind her! Finally making her way over, she clutched the book to her chest with a grateful smile, "Oh my gosh, thank you Merida! It's one of the only things I managed to take from home before I, well, fell into this place. It means a lot."

Okay, even the tough archer of DunBroch couldn't keep up her stone face when the princess gave her that look. With a sigh, she let slip a small smile of her own, "Ah don mention it. Once we are through here, ye'll be back home and reading all the books ye want."

Jack laid the hair down next to Rapunzel's feet, choosing to pull his staff out and inspect the crack himself. While the other three were busy chatting and planning, the Guardian found the direct approach to be the quickest way forward. Sure Merida couldn't make it through, but maybe someone magical could? Upon closer inspection, he could feel the energy coming off of this thing. It felt like a volcano was about to erupt. So much pent up energy just barely contained by the thin magical veil surrounding it, if it even WAS magic containing whatever this thing was. This felt totally alien compared to North's portals. Reaching forward with his staff, the silver blade inched closer and closer, even causing white arcs of lightning to jump from the source right into his new staff.

While Merida and Hiccup continued to debate over what to do, seemingly no one was paying attention to Jack. That is, no one except a certain princess. Looking up from her book, her bright smile morphed into a look of horror as she began to put two and two together. Dropping the book, she took off at a sprint toward the Winter Spirit, arm outstretched to stop him, "Jack wait! Don't touch it!"

Jack looked over his shoulder, eyebrow raised when he saw the young woman scrambling toward him, "Punz, I'm a spirit. What's the worst a small little crack can do to a Guar-"

The next thing they knew, there was a loud crack like Zeus himself threw a thunderbolt from the heavens to strike the group where they stood! Jack's body was flung back hard into the woods, snapping branches and crashing right into the unforgiving bark of a large tree, cracking the towering plant and leaving a deep crater in the wood. With a groan, he fell to the grass below, his entire world spinning and his body ablaze with pain. Ok….maybe Punzie was right. Messing with the magical portal was no a smart idea. Struggling to get his bearings, a sharp pain lanced through his skull, making the young man wince and clutch at the back of his head. He thought it was simply a sore spot, until he felt something warm seem over the palm of his hand. Pulling his hand away, he found the pale skin coated with the thick crimson red of his own blood.

Wait. Blood!? Spirits didn't bleed. He's been 'alive' for over three hundred years, taken more bumps and falls than he could even count, and not once has he ever bled! What's happening here? 

"Jack! Jack are you ok!?" Rapunzel called out, followed closely by Toothless, with Hiccup and Merida at their heels. The Dragon sniffed carefully at the young man who collapsed to the ground in a heap, with a crimson stain slowly seeping through his snowy hair. Rapunzel and Toothless shared a glance, both sets of green orbs sharing a silent understanding of what had to be done. Kneeling in front of the Night Fury, she spread out her hair in front of her, "Please. Help me heal him."

Even if she thought he couldn't understand her words exactly, the surprise on her face was plain to see as Toothless gently began to roll Jack into the blonde hair, covering him from his hips to his skull in strands of gold. All the while questions raced through her head. Would it work? Did her healing power come back with her hair? What if it didn't?

The cacophony of thought ricocheted around her mind before she took a deep breath, expelling her worries and focusing on one singular goal: Healing her new friend. Folding her hands over the pale fingers, she closed her eyes and began to sing.

_"Flower gleam and glow,  
Let your power shine.  
Make the clock reverse,  
Bring back what once was mine._

_Heal what has been hurt,  
Change the fate's design.  
Save what has been lost,  
Bring back what once was mine…..  
what once was mine."_

For a moment, as she began her melodious incantation, there was nothing. Then, a spark of gold shone on the top of her scalp, followed by dozens upon dozens of golden lights. Each snaked across feet of her hair, winding and weaving their way up the body of the boy in her care. For the briefest of moments, she could even see him for what he used to be. The faint flicker of white hair to chestnut brown, and the oceanic blue melting into the chocolate brown eyes. Even his skin changed, flushing back with color and radiating warmth in her hands. The image did not last forever, shifting in and out like it was being seen through a thick fog, before Jack's normal features bled through once again, even returning the chilling cold to his fingers, nearly making her drop him in surprise. Reaching over to his head, she turned him over just enough to see the would had indeed mended, making the Princess give an internal sigh of gratitude. Turning back to the stunned expressions of Hiccup, Merida, and Toothless, she couldn't help the awkward smile, "Uh…yeah I wasn't kidding about the whole 'magic hair' thing. He'll be fine for now. He just needs to rest."

"Well it looks like we'll have plenty of time for that. It looks like we won't be leaving anytime soon." Hiccup observed, casting a glance back to the portal. Giving a whistle over to Toothless, he effortlessly slung his body onto the saddle, glad to hear the familiar clock of his prosthetic leg locking into place. Looking down at the two princesses, he raised a hand over to his visor, "We'll go look for some shelter for the night. We shouldn't be gone long. Hopefully if all goes well we can find something suitable for the night."

Locking the black face shield down once more, Toothless spread his graceful wings and with a single beat, shot the pair out of the tree line and into the blue sky above. Rapunzel heard a small groan, and looking down, she saw Jack finally beginning to stir under the thick strands of her hair, "Jeez…this is the second time I had to wake up to being tangled in gold hair…..this is not a good omen for me."

Jack cast his gaze to the site, the sight of his bloody hand still coming up in his thoughts. If he was in a world where even immortals could bleed, then what kind of creatures could inhabit a place like this?

A few hours ride from where the little group met, a young family was making preparations for bed. Young Thomas, a boy barely 13, bounded to his bed on the warm spring night. Although he didn't know why his family was so insistent on him turning it at such an early hour. Although…..he heard the adults talking in hushed tones. All the kids did. Something about shadows dragging people into the wood. Whole villages going silent. But Thomas didn't believe in those kinds of ghost stories. Nothing was going to stop him from getting a good night's sleep.

Curling up under the covers, the young lad began to drift off to sleep, only for the scurrying of claws on the wooden floor startled him awake. Springing up into a seated position, he peered into the shadows, head snapping this way and that. The scratching continued, across the floor, up the walls, and even on the ceiling above his head! A shaking hand fumbled with the candle beside his bed, lifting it up and tilting it toward the source.

Then the noise just stopped. All went deathly quiet, and Thomas was becoming more than a little unnerved at the deafening silence than at the strange noises. The fear began to subside, even as his shaking hand laid the candle on his bedside table. The moment he turned back to face the foot of the bed, he froze in abject terror.

A shadowy creature clawed it's way up the bedrest, dripping with bits of black sand that ever shifted on it's spindly body, almost like it was made from the stuff. What terrified the boy most were those big, yellow eyes. Bright gold, they shown not with warmth, but with terrifying glee, as the lower part of it's head dropped open to reveal rows of sharp black teeth, with one arm solidifying into a wicked looking blade.

Thomas' screams was not the first to fill the sky above the once quiet village, but it would prove not to be the last, as scores upon scores more joined into an unholy symphony of terror. Legions of shadowy creatures swarmed toward the buildings, driven by simple commands.

_Spread fear…..kill…multiply…spread fear…..kill…multiply…._

_Spread fear…_

_Kill…..  
._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_MULTIPLY._


End file.
